Ibanez Talman TMB30 Short Scale Bass - Budget Shorty Comes Up a Bit Short - LowEndLobster Review

Product Reviewed

Ibanez Talman TMB30 short-scale bass — a budget “Talman” model (noted as one of the cheapest short-scale basses from a mainstream brand).

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Key Features Mentioned

Form / Appearance

• Talman shape, described as a blend of a Jaguar and a less-Paul-ish look
• Available in vintage off-white, black, and mint green

Pickups / Controls (PJ Layout)

• Ibanez Dynamics P: split-coil P pickup
• Ibanez Dynamics J: single-coil J pickup
• Passive electronics (explicitly no active preamp)
  • Contrasts with full-scale Talman models that the reviewer claims use a 2-band active preamp
• Controls: Volume / Volume / Tone
• Tone knob behavior:
  • The reviewer says it acts almost like an on/off switch
  • Around 50%, sound is nearly the same as 100%
  • The reviewer mainly demonstrates tone fully open vs fully closed

Neck / Playability

• 20-fret maple neck
• “Joba” fingerboard
• 41 mm nut width
• D-shaped, “fatter” neck profile
• 9.5” radius (more vintage-style than some flatter radii on certain Soundgear models)

Hardware

• High-quality bridge for the price
• String-height saddle adjustments with features described as limiting side-to-side movement
• Paddle headstock (large; described as love/hate)
• Large, heavy Ibanez tuners
• Neck dive is a known Talman issue and is confirmed on this unit

Build / Weight

• Made in Indonesia
• Passive back: no battery box / no control cavity
• Approx. 8 lb for the reviewed unit
  • Light enough “for a short scale,” but neck-heavy balance still causes issues

Accessories / What’s Included

• No case included
  • Budget pricing: “you don’t get any sort of case or anything”

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Sound / Performance Observations

Overall Tonal Character

• Pickups described as leaning bright and high output

Tone Knob Behavior (Major Criticism)

• With tone at 50%, sound is said to be almost identical to 100%
• The reviewer mainly compares fully open vs fully closed

P Pickup (Split-Coil P)

• Very powerful and rich
• With tone all the way down:
  • described as a nice fat vintage tone (where it “shines”)
• Picking/slapping works well with higher output
• Lowering pickup height is described as not easy (or pickups resisted adjustment)

J Pickup (Single-Coil J)

• With tone open:
  • bright and “messy”
• With tone down:
  • sounds better than open, but still not preferred
• Hum/noise expectations:
  • single-coil hum likely in noisy environments (and mentioned)

Both Pickups Together

• With tone open:
  • “not too bad” when picked
• With tone down:
  • again tied to the idea that tone down gets fatter

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User Experience / Ergonomics

• Poor balance: significant neck dive both with and without a strap
• Heavy hardware impact:
  • heavy tuners + large headstock reportedly “pull out my shirt”
• Body comfort:
  • body shape is “decently comfortable,” but the weighty neck reduces enjoyment
• Suggested use case:
  • positioned as a short-scale beginner option, though the reviewer argues better choices exist

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Price and Comparisons

Price

• About $229
  • described as unusually low for mainstream short-scale options

Comparisons Mentioned

• The reviewer plans to compare it later to a stock Harley Benton Mustang
• Also compared to pricing of:
  • Squier Bronco
  • Harley Benton Mustangs

Market Context

• Reviewer claims the under-$500 short-scale market is very hot
• This model is said to not stand out enough

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Pros (From the Review)

• Good hardware / bridge quality for the price
• 20-fret neck + vintage-style 9.5” radius
• High-output split-P pickup with usable fat vintage tone when tone is turned down
• Decent short-scale weight (~8 lb), though balance is still poor
• Passive simplicity (no battery box)

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Cons (From the Review)

• Major neck dive (“serious” and persistent even with a strap)
• Tone knob acts like an on/off switch (50% doesn’t meaningfully change tone)
• Overall tone overly bright
  • especially with the J pickup and/or tone open
• J pickup hum / noisy single-coil issues mentioned
• Ergonomics suffer due to balance
• Budget misses the mark on component choices
• No case included

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Ratings

• Overall rating: 2 claws out of 5

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Unique Points / Summary of Distinct Claims

1. Very budget-friendly mainstream short-scale (among Ibanez’s cheapest short scales).
2. PJ set: split-P + single-J, passive.
3. Passive design contrasts with full-scale Talman models allegedly having active 2-band preamps.
4. Tone control behaves basically on/off; 50% ≈ 100%.
5. P pickup is powerful/rich and best as fat vintage tone with tone fully down.
6. J pickup sounds bright/messy with tone open; likely hum/noisy in real environments.
7. Both pickups are “not too bad” with tone open (when picked), while tone down generally improves character.
8. Bridge/saddle area described as surprisingly premium for the price.
9. Neck specs: 20-fret maple, 41 mm nut, D-shaped profile, 9.5” radius.
10. Large paddle headstock + heavy tuners contribute to severe neck dive.
11. Made in Indonesia; passive back with no cavities/battery box.
12. Weight around 8 lb.
13. Strap doesn’t fix neck dive (balance still pulls down).
14. Price about $229; compared against Squier Bronco and Harley Benton Mustang pricing.
15. No case included.
16. Reviewer suggests there are better short-scale options under $500; this one doesn’t deliver enough.

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Speakers / Separate Views

• Single primary speaker: (Lobster / LowEndLobster)
  • All major pros/cons, sound demos, balance testing, and the final numeric rating come from this reviewer.

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Concise Verdict / Recommendation

Not recommended as a top-value budget short-scale despite nice bridge/build details and a strong split-P pickup. The reviewer’s biggest deal-breakers are severe neck dive and a tone knob that doesn’t function smoothly, resulting in an overall overly bright and awkward playing experience.

Rating: 2/5 claws.